12 January 2010

KUCHING: The Sarawak Public Works Department’s (PWD) new organisational structure is expected to be operational by next year.

State Infrastructure Development and Communication Minis-ter Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong said Sarawak PWD deputy director (management) Zuraimi Sabki had been given six months to conduct a study on the matter.

”If we have sufficient financial allocation, the restructuring process will take place in one year,” he told reporters after opening a two-day PWD senior officers conference, here yesterday.

Manyin said the proposed restructuring of the Sarawak PWD was mainly due to the different role of the department now.

Previously, the Sarawak PWD was engaged in construction, planning, designing, supervision and managing but now the department no longer handled construction, he said.

Manyin said the restructuring would see the creation of a legal department which would study the legal implications of development projects, now that a third party undertook construction.

He gave the assurance that the restructuring process would not involve the retrenchment of existing staff.

Sarawak PWD director Datuk Hubert Thian Chong Hui said the restructuring would result in the creation of more professional posts, such as engineers, and hiring of fewer support staff. — Bernama